Developer Hangzhou Hoothanes Entertainment is bringing a refreshing perspective to the WW2 shooter genre with The Defiant. By focusing on the Second Sino-Japanese War, the game ditches typical genre tropes for a narrative-heavy, singleplayer-first experience that feels like a throwback to classic shooters.
The 15-hour campaign promises varied gameplay—from espionage in Shanghai to sabotage missions—all supported by satisfying, era-accurate weapon mechanics. While it currently lacks some mobility features like vaulting and going prone, the developer is actively iterating on the game ahead of its eventual release on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.